Improvement in flexible pump-valves



. clear, true, and

4Letters Patent dated STATES WILLIAM PAINTER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN FLEXIBLE PUMP-VALVES.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 181,535, dated August -29, 1876; application filed 1 August '1. 1876.

To ali whom it may camera Be it known that I, WILLIAM PAINTER, of the city and county of Baltimore, in the State 4of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Valves 5' and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings furnished and forming a part thereof, is a complete description ofthe same.

My invention relates,1nainly, to that class of v flexible ap-valveswhich are described in my August 5, 1873, and also in numerous other Letters Patent granted to me since that date. These valves are especially intended for use in connection with apparatus for excavating night-soil from privyvaults, and the contents of cess-pools, &c. Such a valve in most cases involves a feature inl its construction at the base which will eifectually prevent introversion, and also another feature which, when the valve should be closed, will enable the iiaps of the valve to close d own upon and around any solid obstructive matter which may be temporarily retained in the valve. As heretofore constructed by me these valves have been provided at their bases with metallic braces or stift'eners which prevent introversion, while the long lia-ps of the valve are freely flexible in all directions. The valve subject of this application is rendered incapable of introversion `without the use of metal, and although metallic protecting-plates will in practice be used at the interior of the valve at its base or entrance, said plates need not be at all relied upon for performing the function of braces or stiffeners for preventing introversion.

My invention consists, first, in a Hap-valve having a base composed of a heavy mass of vulcanized rubber, sufficiently rigid to prevent introversion, and one or two coincident iaps arranged to engage with `each other, or with a coincident surface of corresponding area; second, in a iiexible valve with or without a ap or iaps, having a' heavy base of flexible material, which is at intervals scored or slitted longitudinally, whereby the base of the valve is prevented from being introverted, is easily opened, and is provided with a desirable degree of lateral iexibility,

section.

each case but one ofthe stated features of my invention.

In each of the figures, A denotes the valveplate, which may be adapted for use as a piston, or it may be arranged for use as the stationary valve-plate in a pump-barrel or other chamber, when intended to prevent the reflux of iiuid and other ymatter which hasV been passed -through the valve. As heretofore, the valve-plateis provided with a flange at a, for connection with the exible portion of the valve, which is secured theretol by the clampband b with bolts, as` heretofore. The neck c is provided for connection Withsuction-hose,

as heretofore, on all stationary flap-valves or' this general class made by me. B denotes the flap-valve proper. The base d is preferably made of elastic vulcanized rubber, which will sometimes be combined with textile ma-v terial, in ak manner well known. The iiaps c, of which there are two in valves Figs. 1 and 5, are united at their edges, and flatly'engage with each other, substantially as shown in my Letters Patent of August 5, 187,3.

It will be seen that the base of the valve is made very heavy, and in a full-sized valve is, say, from one and a half to three inches in thickness, is tapered, and is comparatively thin at the line marked x y. If the laps c were cut off at their junction with the base at and the base were constructed as isshown in Fig. 5, the valve would then be in all essential particulars the well-known Perreaux valve, patented in England, A. D. 1856, and numbered 'in the annual series 1,076. This Perreaux valve has the vulcanized rubber so disposed and proportioned that it has PATENT FFIGE.

n suiiicient rigidity to the valve at a time when it should be prac:

tically closed in service. 'Ihis latter point will be clearly obvious when it is considered that when the rubber is massed to secure longitudinal rigidity, the valve must oi' necessity be equally rigid laterally. It is to correct this "lack of lateralflexibility in the Perreaux valve that one feature of` my 'in the longitudinalslits or cuts shown at f in several of the figures. These slits may be cut with a knife,lor formed in the rubber by means -of thin plates adjusted in such molds l as I preferablyfemploy for making these and `similar valves.

and lower ends, and it is gradually lessened "in both directions.

intended.

with the longitudinalslits extending partially Wthrough the iexible material to a `flap-valve, for Iam well aware that the Perreaux valve may be improved to a valuable degree by Vproviding it with said slits, as shown in Fig. 6, as 1it islthereby rendered more flexible lateraL Ily withoutdetracting materially from its capacity to resist back pressure and prevent introversion.

The iiap-valve shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has prevent introversion.

present invention 1s` `especially intended. This feature is embodied The depth of these slots is great-` -est at a point midway between their upper At no point should the fslits or scores be of a depth greater than, say, l twothirds of the `thickness of the rubber. Itg is, however, dificult to prescribe any definite depth of slot or `thickness of the rubber, asf -thesemay be profitably varied in accordance `with the size ot' the. valves and the nature of; the `particular service for which the valves are Q 1 l iaps and a heavy base, which is composed of It is to be distinctly understood that I do not limit that portionof my invention which 'consists iu-providing the `base of the valve? two flaps, and the `base is slitted longitudinally. In Figs. 3 and't a valve is 'shown `having but one Hap, which engages with a concave valve-seat. Its base is, however, like that on one side of the valve shown in Fig. 1, and is slitted in like manner. 'Ihe valve, Fig. 5, is like the one shown in Fig. 1, with the exception that it is not slitted at the base, and I desire itto be distinctly understood that I do not limit my present invention to a flap-valve with a heavy base which is slitted, for I am` well aware that the Perreaux valve, when provided withthe apse, as in Fig. 5, yhas great practical value in night soil apparatus, although not so efficient in its operation as is the case when provided with the slits f.

'Ihe prime objection to the Perrcaux valve `consists in its lack of iexibility both longitudinally and laterally'l but when provided with the flaps e, these latter secure a closure of the valve upon solid matter held therein, regardless of the inability ofthe thick base of the valve to close upon and around said matter. As in all valves of this general class heretofore made by me, the valves hereinlshown are provided at their entrance with protecting-plates, which serve solely to guard the surfaces of the valves at `their bases against injury from undue abrasion,and cuts `from the sharp or ragged edges of solidmatters liable Ito be encountered in 4night-soil operations. l

- Having thus described my invention, I

claimwas new andldesire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A exible valve provided with a ap or flexible material, 'but which is suiiciently inexible lon gitudinallytoprevent introversion,

substantially as described.

2. A flexible valve, with or without the flap `or daps @,sniciently inilexible :longitudinally at `its base to prevent introversion, and scored or lslitted longitudinally to provide for lateral flexibility, substantially as described.

WILLIAM PAINTER.

Witnesses: y

1J AMES L. MUR-BILL, CHARLES BOND. 

